This is the second day of heated discussion here in the copy shop regarding “whup ass” vs. “whoop ass.” We can’t find a definitive source. “Whup” seems, to me, much more logical based on the definition derived from “whip. To “whoop” is to make a sound, not attack someone. Brad agrees with me. Annie is sure that it’s “whoop ass” after the brand name of a some canned beverage (and I don’t think she’s kidding). Gillian saw it yesterday in Molly Ivins’s column as “whip-ass.”

Steven Humphrey’s TV column goes to press in a few hours and we’ve got to decide which version of the term to use. Please, if you have any insight on the matter, post it here.